Posted
by
samzenpuson Wednesday October 09, 2013 @09:58PM
from the look-and-touch dept.

Lucas123 writes "Engineers at Disney Research in Pittsburgh have developed an algorithm that creates the illusion of a 3D surface on touch screens. Using electrical impulses, the touch screen technology offers the sensation of ridges, edges, protrusions and bumps and any combination of those textures. While Disney is not alone in developing tactile response touchscreens, its researchers said the traditional approach has been to use a library of 'canned effects,' that are played back when someone touches a screen. Disney's algorithm doesn't just playback one or two responses, but it offers a set of controls that make it possible to tune tactile effects to a specific visual artifact on the fly. 'Our algorithm is concise, light and easily applicable on static images and video streams,' the researchers stated." This summer Disney unveiled AIREAL, a system designed to give tactile sensations to people using motion control devices.

They did a touch-screen phone that vibrated when you crossed between virtual keys, and required harder pressure to register than just touching. It sounded like a good idea, but it was a flop in practice. Touchie-feelie phones are bad enough. Touchie-feelie fluffy pix? Eeewww.

This is not vibration, I presume, it actually causes *drag* on your finger. Something to do with coulomb's something, IIRC - saw a demo from a local company a while back, it's not unique to Disney certainly.

I'd rather they take those stupid damned touchscreens out of cars completely. Give me physical knobs and buttons that stay in one place that I know where they are and I can make an adjustment without taking my eyes off of the road.

Disney pours quite a lot of money into R&D, always has.They're always looking to increase the immersion factor of the park attractions with things like interactive displays. Helps the guests believe it really is magic that runs the Magic Kingdom.

Too bad Disney is making it. It will be consigned to letting 5 year olds feel pinochio's nose grow, instead of letting old perverts fondle virtual hoes.

(I joke.)

In the real world, this would have considerable applications for interactive kiosks in malls, since it would enable interactive braille and other tactile display technologies to be combined seamlessly with media intended for sighted people, among many other useful applications. Of course, slashdot won't be happy unless they can feel the hot grits. ;

Tactile feedback sounds like a decent idea. But I wish they'd work on the latency first. You get a much better 'physical' connection with the device when the latency is less than 50 or even 5 milliseconds.

The latest iPhone adds all sorts of scrolling gimmicks, and that'll unfortunately also have the effect of increased latency.

Tactile feedback sounds like a decent idea. But I wish they'd work on the latency first. You get a much better 'physical' connection with the device when the latency is less than 50 or even 5 milliseconds.

The latest iPhone adds all sorts of scrolling gimmicks, and that'll unfortunately also have the effect of increased latency.

I don't think you do. My ex-brother in law was supervisor at a factory that made mechanical things. His boss would bring him something their competitor had come up with and ask him "can we make these?" He'd look at it and say "sure, but what about the patent?" His boss answered "that's why we employ lawyers."

Sometimes getting around a patent is as simple as making the exact same part out of a different material. There are usually many ways to do or make a thing, and the